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          NFL Nation

          Survey: 49ers had 23rd-best special teams in NFL

          • Paul Gutierrez, ESPN Staff WriterJan 23, 2015, 07:10 PM ET
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              Paul Gutierrez joined NFL Nation in 2013 and serves as its Las Vegas Raiders reporter. He has a multi-platform role - writing on ESPN.com, television appearances on NFL Live and SportsCenter, and podcast and radio appearances. Before coming to ESPN, Gutierrez spent three years at CSN Bay Area as a multi-platform reporter, covering the Raiders and Oakland Athletics as well as anchoring the SportsNet Central cable news show. Gutierrez votes for the Baseball Hall of Fame and is also a member of the Professional Football Writers of America and currently serves as the PFWA's Las Vegas chapter president. He is also a member of the California Chicano News Media Association and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. Gutierrez has authored three books: Tommy Davis' Tales from the Dodgers Dugout, 100 Things Raiders Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die and If These Walls Could Talk: Stories from the Raiders Sideline, Locker Room and Press Box with Lincoln Kennedy. You can follow Paul on Twitter @PGutierrezESPN
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          The San Francisco 49ers parted ways with special teams coach Brad Seely and are being linked to former New York Jets special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey.

          But would that necesarrily be a trade up?

          According to an annual survey compiled by the Dallas Morning News ... sure.

          The 49ers finished the 2014 season as the No. 23-ranked special teams unit in the NFL, while the Jets were 20th.

          “The NFL’s 32 teams are ranked in 22 kicking­-game categories and assigned points according to their standing (one for the best through 32 for the worst),” the Morning News explained, hence, a lower score was better for teams.

          The Jets had 404 points, the Niners 414.

          What especially hurt the Niners was their inability to stop opponents from converting field goals, as the 100 percent make mark of their foes was worst in the league.

          The Philadelphia Eagles had the best special teams in the league with 201.5 points, 26.5 points better than the second-place Buffalo Bills. The Eagles tied a league record with seven special-teams TDs while blocking an NFL-high six kicks.

          The Green Bay Packers were last with 450 points.

          And where did the Super Bowl teams finish?

          The New England Patriots were third (233.5 points) and the defending champion Seattle Seahawks were 17th (393.5).

          Meanwhile, Seely is headed up I-880 from Santa Clara to take over the Oakland Raiders special teams, which finished 22nd, one spot ahead of the 49ers, with 411 points.